Amazon has revealed (opens in a new tab) that it helped law enforcement shut down three major counterfeit operations in China, thanks to information provided by the company’s Counterfeit Unit (CCU).
As a result of Amazon’s cooperation, nearly a quarter of a million counterfeit goods were seized in Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces. Brands imitated include BMW, Porsche, General Motors, Hugo Boss, Puma and Under Armour.
None of the above-mentioned products have made it to Amazon customers, or even had a chance to pass through the supply chain, and the company added that any listings on the site related to the counterfeiters had already been removed.
Collaboration in the fight against crime
The intelligence provided by the CCU included the locations of warehouses that were passed on to local authorities. The main suspects are being investigated by the Public Security Bureaus (PSB) in China.
Last year, Amazon found and seized more than three million counterfeit products, including some in its fulfillment centers dedicated to customer consumption.
In addition to fake goods, Amazon worked with PSB to apprehend 84 people who obtained fake IDs and business licenses to create seller accounts on the site. The company also claims that another 2.5 million bad actors have been prevented from creating merchant accounts.
She also conducted joint lawsuits with well-known brands, including Cartier, WWE or FELCO – whose goods have been illegally copied. In 2021, it sued or brought to court more than 600 criminals from Europe, China and the United States.
CCU director Kebharu Smith said: “Our efforts to identify and dismantle fake organizations are working.” He added that he appreciated “law enforcement authorities acting on our reports and thoroughly investigating these cases.”
Dharmesh Mehta, Vice President of Amazon Worldwide Selling Partner Services, added, “While we are proud of the progress we have made, we will not rest until we reduce counterfeits to zero and will continue to invest and innovate until we achieve this. “